Cloth Nappies

[BexTez]

Has anyone ever used/ is planning on using?

My OH is very keen to use cloth nappies, we're thinking of buying tots bots easy fit nappies. Just wondered if anyone has any experience or is planning on using for the first time like us?

We seem to be facing a lot of judgement from friends who are parents, with a lot of comments such as 'you'll find it too hard' and 'it's a waste of money.'

I'm getting frustrated by the lack of support from these people as I feel its our decision and if it doesn't work out and we switch to disposables I don't want to face a barrage of 'told you so'
This, along with the fact I would like a home birth and want to try hypnobirthing has us labelled 'hippie parents' and I'm feeling very judged!!

Has anyone experienced this?

xxx

 

[Lolie14]

We use Bambino Mio solos and are really happy with them. It's not hard or a waste of money as we will be using them for our second child. Check with your local council as most give you money back for using them.

 

[CoolNoMore]

I found this site to be really helpful: https://www.thenappylady.co.uk

As Lolie says, quite a few councils have schemes to encourage take up. I spoke to a really helpful lady in a local shop who recommended trying both for a bit (especially if you can use the voucher for a starter kit) and then decide.

 

[redbear]

personally i wouldnt use them for the first few weeks due to the amount they need to be changed and to be honest i wouldnt want extra washing to do while i adapted to the new baby but after that i dont see how it will be any harder, i wash a load of washing a day anyway. xx

 

[violet13]

Tots boys won't fit at first Hun baby has to be a little bigger than newborn for them to fit tots bots do teeny fit and then you can get other tots bots but our go to nappies are close pop ins absolutely love them and their bomb proof! Xxx

 

[Rose83]

I use disposables and come August will have 3 babies under 3 so on the one hand I can't imagine the amount of washing if have to do if they were all in reuseable nappies but on the other hand I can see how it would be a lot cheaper in the long run with the amount of nappies I'll have bought and better for the environment! I don't think I could have done it myself but no one should have the right to make you feel silly for considering it or saying I told you so if you don't get on with it. When I was pregnant with my first it was my number one frustration that everyone thought they should get a say in the decisions we made about what we did and didn't want to buy.

These people should also remember that people have been using reuseable nappies for years - it's not some hippy invention! My mum used Terry toweling nappies on us as children - although she does blame them for my dad breaking his back lifting buckets of ones soaking lol x

 

[snowbee]

Everyone has told me not to bother (bar my mother who was suggesting using terry squares like she did...). I am however going to ignore them and just buy a couple of different types to try once they are big enough (as lots say they fit best once the baby is a certain weight). I filled in the free questionnaire from the nappy lady to get recommendations, might be worth doing as you also get a discount code.

 

[SalisburyMum]

Yes but (after a loooot of testing) I'll only use bum genius flips.

They're small, absorbent, easy to clear etc etc etc

 

[violet13]

My mum used terry swuares with me too! She had to double fold them because I was a preemie she then had to pin them and use rubber knickers...glad there are other options now haha xxx

 

[BexTez]

Thank you for all the advice ��
I checked our local council, Sheffield will give £10 towards the cost which seems pretty low compared to others but I suppose it's something!!

Red bear- I'm very lucky in that my husband has a month off work when she's born so he will be about too so we can take it in turns to get washes done, plus he's not militant in that if we were struggling we would use disposables until we got back on track again also our thinking is that if we use them from the start with our first we won't really know any different and so might be okay?

Violet - the ones we've seen can be used from 8lbs so we'll have to see how tiny she is when she's born. As I say it's not the end of the world if we use disposables for the first couple of weeks until she can fit them they do a starter kit which they say has everything you'll need to get started and there are lots of positive reviews online (I think my husband could go on mastermind the amount of reading he's done on it!) Can I ask what it is about your brand that you love? I'm open to other brands if they seem better

Rose and snowbee - I know, I'm fed up of all the negative opinions! I'm 27 which some people seem to think is young to become a mum, that coupled with this being our first baby, the advice makes me feel like people think I won't be a good mum or know what I'm doing! It's probably partly my hormones and being defensive as well but I don't want bringing up our baby to be about proving a point, which I worry it will be if people keep saying things like 'just you wait, you'll change your mind.' OH says I need to stop listening to people but I'm not too good at that!

Salisbury mum - Are those all in ones or do they come in parts? Out of interest did you ever try tots bots easy fit? I like the idea of them being all in one as it seems like they'd be easier to use, what did you find?

Thanks all!!
Xxxx

 

[redbear]

Yeah that's just me personally I've also got two other kiddies so school runs etc but if it was my first I can see it would be much easier to use from day one.
The tar poo also worries me but I suppose it will wash.
My council don't give anything but if my house was less than a mile away I'd get £50 towards a £100 starter kit! Gggrrr

 

[BexTez]

I've heard horror stories about this tar poo!! Can't say I'm excited for that haha!!

 

[Rose83]

Don't worry about the tar poo - it really isn't that bad. I think my daughter had 1 and my son maybe 3 and they really weren't difficult to clean. Although writing that I've realised that both my children pooed inside me (I had grade 3 meconium with both which means poop) so maybe the worst of it was already out lol. X

 

[SalisburyMum]

Salisbury mum - Are those all in ones or do they come in parts? Out of interest did you ever try tots bots easy fit? I like the idea of them being all in one as it seems like they'd be easier to use, what did you find?

Thanks all!!
Xxxx

All in ones are a nightmare I found. I tried WVERYTHING under the sun including tots bots, poppins, wee notions etc etc etc

Bum genius flips come in two parts

A thin, waterproof cottony cover that is easy to hang over a curtain rail and will dry very very quickly after being washed

A large sanitary towel type pad that soaks up all the wee.

The bonus is you can then wash all together, tumble/radiator dry your pads and don't have to worry about trashing the elasticity or the waterproofing of the outer wrap.


Mostly you need one wrap a day, maybe two if some mad poo happens but you can just rinse it off. With all in ones you've got to have a whole nappy every time you change a wee (nightmare)

Also flips have a disposable pad option, so for me, going out or going to festivals or whatever, I can take a disposable box, throw away the soiled pad and just rinse the wrap out and whack it on the tent to dry. No dramas.

They're far more slim fitting than any other nappy so no worries with not being able to by baby clothes

They also feel much nicer than any other wrap. Like cotton rather than horrible thick plastic.

I used from three monthish

As before then you've got a tiny bean and TBH other things to do than washing nappies!! They go right up to toddler so no dramas with buying more

The only thing I will potentially do is buy a few second hand little lamb fitteds for toddler night wees as they are immense at keeping everything in all night and can be stuffed with bum genius pads.

I also like using wool at night for an outer. But this will all come later

 

[SalisburyMum]

Oh and boots own flushable nappy liners are the best

 

[SalisburyMum]

Oh and reusable wipes are so much easier than disposable ones as you just chuck all in the wash together

 

[Rose83]

I don't want to sound critical but how can a reusable wipe be 'easier' than disposable?! Better for the environment yes but surely there is nothing easier than wiping and putting it in the bin rather than washing and drying reuseable ones. As I said I think if I'd gone for reusable nappies from the start then I could see how it would save a lot of money and be better but even doing that I don't think I would have used reuseable wipes - even going out places I can never be sure how many I need so go with a pack.

 

[SalisburyMum]

Well because with reusables you just throw everything in a bag together and shove in the wash.

When you use disposables you fold the used wipes into the nappy?

You do the same with a reusable if you have reusable pads, or you have to go and find a bin.

 

[Rose83]

Ah ok I see where you're coming from, it would kind of give you two jobs rather than one if you were using reuseable of one thing and disposable of another.

Do you soak everything first before putting it in the washing machine or does it all just go in there as is? I'm mainly thinking of mega poo days and wondering whether I'd feel like that had all come out if it hadn't been soaked first x

 

[snowbee]

Salisbury Mum that was really helpful to know about the disposable insert option for the flips, I've been wondering how practical reusables are when out and about as I don't really fancy carrying a load of used nappies around with me. That is certainly something to look into, thank you.